With bated breath, the group of five and the lizard-like creatures momentarily forgot their impending clash, their attention fully captivated and drawn by the spectacle above.
As the distance between the plummeting trio and the ground rapidly decreased, Ray's mind raced with a sudden realization and mentally slapped his head for not thinking the obvious.
"Lightning Wings!"
*Crackle*
In an instant, a pair of magnificent wings made of lightning materialized and unfurled behind Ray's his back, crackling with electrifying energy. The group of five watched him with a mix of awe and fascination.
Alia's mouth gaped open as she watched the pair of wings, her astonishment evident on her tanned face, "Amazing…"
Ray, now suspended in mid-air with the assistance of his Lightning Wings, looked at his friends as they plummeted straight into the sandy dunes below with a resounding boom, sending a cloud of sand billowing into the air.
The impact sent shockwaves through the air, causing the creatures to momentarily retreat, their attention momentarily diverted.
"Fuck!" He muttered as he felt a twinge of regret and stupidity for not doing it earlier. Though he had managed to stabilize his own descent, he hadn't been quick enough to catch his friends in time.
*Zip*
Ray swiftly maneuvered himself closer to the ground, his lightning wings crackling with energy. He landed gracefully amidst the swirling sand, his gaze immediately turning towards Ash and Bryan, who were beginning to pick themselves up from the dune-covered ground.
"Are you two alright?" Ray called out, his voice laced with concern as he rushed over to assist them.
Ash, his face smeared with sand and a sheepish groan on his face, nodded in response, "Just a little sand in places I didn't know sand could go to." he quipped, his voice laced with humour.
Bryan stood up, brushed sand of his clothes, and chuckled softly, "Well, looking around us, at least we made an entrance."
As the dust settled, the group of five hurriedly rushed towards the fallen newcomers, their feet kicking up sand with each determined step. Weirdly enough to the trio, concern etched across most of the faces in the group, as their eyes swirled with a mix of concern and relief.
"What in the heavens just happened?" Zara exclaimed, her voice a mixture of astonishment and concern, "Are you two alright?"
Bryan nodded, his face still adorned with traces of sand, "Yeah, a little rough landing, but we're good. Thanks for the concern."
"No…problem…?" Zara cocker her head in slight confusion.
Labin, the leader, stepped forwards and was about to say something before a distant rumble disrupted the air, catching their attention. Slithering growls reverberated through the desert, causing the once tranquil atmosphere to crackle with tension.
The trio immediately forgot their 'dangerous' event as they surveyed the surroundings around them, immediately noticing the crowd of weird-looking big lizards currently making their way towards them.
"As much as I'd like to talk and clear things up, we have a situation at our hands." Ray spoke, as the now combined group of eight became combat ready.
"Can you give us some info on the lizards?" Ray asked the group, scanning the creatures as he was guessing that they knew what they were.
"…Info?" Labin frowned in confusion at Ray's choice of words.
"Oh, my bad, I meant information." Ray gave a wry smile.
Labin nodded, noticing the unusual tone, and replied, "Ah, yes, information. We're not sure ourselves but we know that they possess strength comparable to cultivators in the Natal Realm and the one leading is most likely a High-Tier Rank 3 beast, on par with a Peak Shattering Sea Realm cultivator."
"Well…" Ash, ever nonchalant, stretched his arms with a casual grin, "…this should be quick."
Bryan, from the corner of his eyes, noticed the group's battle formation and smirked to himself. He reminded them, "You don't have to worry about us. Stick with your formation and we'll be able to hold on our own."
*Whoosh*
Before Labin could respond, he saw the trio nodding at each other before they blasted off in the direction of the lizard-like creatures, their movement swift and agile. The winds howled in their wake as they soared towards the approaching horde of lizard-like creatures.
The sand trembled and spluttered, as the creatures surged forwards, their scaly bodies glistening in the sunlight. The creatures had the advantage in numbers, but this didn't mean anything to the trio.
Undeterred, Ray led the charge, his lightning wings propelling him with incredible speed and grace. His eyes flashed with a sharp glint as he streaked across the horde, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake.
The lightning wings acted as a weapon of their own, striking the creatures with a force that sent them crashing into one another, their scaly bodies colliding in a chaotic frenzy.
Bryan flexed his legs and leaped into the air. He pulled his right fist back, and a surge of energy coalesced, forming a Phantasmal Fist bursting with untamed power.
*Boom*
He unleashed the gigantic fist, the impact reverberating through the desert floor, unleashing powerful shockwaves outwards, and sending the hapless lizards flying in all directions, their cries of defeat blending with the gusts of wind.
The desert floor quaked as he unleashed powerful shockwaves, creating a chaotic scene with clouds of dust and lizards flying away with their helpless squeaks.
With an effortless movement, Ash stretched out his right hand, summoning his trusted scythe. The weapon materialized in his grasp, gleaming with a frosty aura.
Like a phantom, he danced through the chaos, his movements swift and precise. With each deadly strike of his scythe, he carved through the lizards, leaving a trail of blood and incapacitated creatures in his path.
The combined efforts of Ray, Bryan, and Ash created quite the scene and the group of five were impressed to say the least. Regardless, there were too many of the lizards for the trio to take note of, as a few slipped through their grasps.
Labin's eyes blazed with a fierce battle intent as he rallied his companions, his voice resolute and commanding. "Enough spectating! We must join them in the fight!"
"It's about time." Hal cracked his knuckle with a confident smirk as the group launched themselves into the midst of the battle.
Alia's eyes shone with determination as she unleashed her twin blades in a flurry of strikes. With swift and precise movements, her blades sliced through the scaly hides of the creatures, leaving a trail of severed limbs and defeated creatures in her wake.
Vela, her spirit burned with a bustling energy as she lifted her yellow staff. As she focused her energy, the air around the staff trembled with power, gathering into a swirling storm of energy.
With a gentle cry, she unleashed a torrent of energy blasts that arced through the battlefield, striking the creatures with devastating force. The blasts tore through their ranks, sending them flying into the thick dunes, defeated and powerless.
Zara, with a burst of speed and agility, darted through the chaos with grace and precision. Her dagger became a blur of motion as she struck with lightning-fast movements, exploiting the creatures' weaknesses with calculated strikes.
Each slash and stab found its mark, leaving a trail of fallen foes in her path. She moved with a dancer's grace, evading the snapping jaws of the creatures with fluid movements.
Hal, wore a gauntlet, as his fists became a blur. He delivered powerful and sound-shattering punches, each strike landing with bone-crushing impact. The creatures had no chance to retaliate, as they were mercilessly pummelled into oblivion.
Labin, his eyes gleaming with a powerful battle intent, drew a thin sword from his sheath. With masterful swordsmanship, he swung the blade in elegant arcs, effortlessly dispatching the creatures with each calculated move. The creatures stood no chance against his skilled swordplay.
The sand beneath their feet became a canvas of battle, scattered with the fallen bodies of the defeated creatures. The air reverberated with the echoes of their battle cries, blending with the sounds of steel meeting scales and the crackling of natural energy.
Their individual skills and abilities complemented one another, creating a seamless and deadly dance of combat. The creatures found themselves overwhelmed and outmatched by the group's united assault.
Although the trio were busy with their unrelenting assault, they couldn't help but be amazed at the other group's almost perfect-like battle with the creatures.
With each strike and blast, the creatures fell one by one, their roars of fury turning into feeble cries of defeat. The battlefield became a symphony of clashes and impacts, punctuated by triumphant cries and the dispersing energy of defeated foes.
*BOOM*
Finally, the last of the creatures succumbed to the relentless onslaught, leaving the group and the trio standing victorious amidst the scattered bodies. Their chest heaved slightly with exertion. Although the creatures weren't formidable opponents individually, their sheer numbers posed a good challenge that was easily overcome through the combined strength and skills of the two groups.
As the dust settled and the battlefield fell silent, the two groups shared a glance filled with a tinge of respect and curiosity. They approached each other, their gazes lingering with interest as they observed one another at a closer distance.
"Well fought." Labin was the first to speak, his voice carrying a tone of admiration.
"Likewise. Your group's teamwork is impeccable." Ray replied with a warm smiled and returned a compliment, his Lightning Wings disappearing.
"We are from the Requiem Clan, and have been travelling the Gods' Ruin, exploring the realm as a group." Labin continued, "And you, may I ask, which power is your group affiliated with?"
Ray's expression turned one into confusion, followed by a sprinkle of surprise and a full-blown astonishment. Ash's face was comical with widened eyes and a gaping mouth. Bryan was taken aback as he chuckled with a shake of his head.
"Gods' Ruin…?"